Crusher



Nov. 26, 1935. R. c. NEWHCUSE ET AL 2,021,895

CRUSHER Filed May-24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- M m 7 v 9 a 14 a l a 8 9MHHM Wen 3 v 7. I

M m H m Q 4 3 M o A M w Nov. 26, 1935. v c. NEWH'OYUSE ETAL 2,

GRUSHER F1190 May 24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 as 38 V i ii Patented Nov.26, 1?35 UNiTED strnrss 2,021,895 onusnnn I my 0. Newhouse and Robert E.StolL Wauwatosa,

Wis, assignors to Allis-Chalmers'Manufactur- Company, Milwaukee,

of Delaware Wis., a corporation Application May 24, 1930, S No. 455,199

The present invention relates in general to improvements in the-artofsupporting movable machine elements, and relates more specifically toimprovements in the construction and operation of thrust bearingsespecially adapted for use in of this specification in which likereference characters designate the sameor similar parts in theconnection with crushers or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved bearing structurewhich is capable of effectively resisting relatively high and ,variablepressures. Another object of the invention is to provide simple andemcient means for eiIecting adjustment of a thrust hearing or the like.Still another object of theinvention' is to provide improved means forprotecting the elements oi a machine against damage due to abnormalconditions of operation, A further object of the invention is to providean improved elastic fluid reaction bearing for crushers or the like,that may be adjusted quickly and conveniently to vary the relativeposition of cooperating crushing .cordance therewith, may be had byreferring to 1 the drawings accompanying and forming a part severalviews.

Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through a gyratory crusherembodying the improvement.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged central vertical section through the thrustbearing adjusting-and cushioning means constituting'a featureof theinvention.

,Thegyratory crusher shown in Fig. 1 by way of illustration, comprisesin general a pair of relatively movable inner and outer crushing members3,1 normally disposed in predetermined spaced cooperating crushingrelationship to form an annular crushing chamber 6 having a dischargeopening at its lower extremity; a hollow main shaft 5 movably supportingthe head or inner member 3; a rotary eccentric I cooperating with thelower extremity of the main shaft 5 to producegyration of the member 3relative to the member a motor 9 for rotating the eccentric l at highspeed; a drive shaft 8'directly connected at its upper end to the motor9 and drivingly connected at its lower end to the eccentric I by a meansof a driveplate 32; upper, intermediate and lower frames It], 83, i2,respectively, providing supports for the various elements of thecrusher; and suspension cables it associated with the intermediate frameit for yieldingly supl0 porting the crusher structure.

The upper extremity of the main shaft 5 is fulcrumed in a spider itsupported upon the upper frame it which also provides a fixed supportfor the concave or outer crushing member 4. The 15 discharge opening ofthe crushing chamber 6 is directed into the interior of the intermediateframe I d from which the final product is delivered by gravity along theusual discharge chute. The eccentric i is rotatably supported in a guidebear- 20 ing formed in the lower frame 52, and rests upon a thrustbearing 3i secured toathe lower extremity of the frame 62.

The crushing head or inner member 3 rests directly upon an annularfloating thrust ring it 25 which is supported by means of a fluidsupport comprising an annular plunger it and a confined body it ofincompressible fluid such as oil. The annular plunger it is verticallymovable between inner and outer walls 3t, 2% respectively, 30 which forman annular recess within the bottom of which the oil body it isconfined, and the lower portion of which is provided with a stop 28 forsupporting the member 3, shaft 5 and the movable'thrust bearingelements, when the oil 35 body It hasbeen removed or the pressurethereon released." The lower portion of the annular plunger It mayfurthermore be provided with suitable packing H for preventing escape of'oil from the confined body it.

. Disposed laterally adjacent to the thrust hearing structure, is acylinder 26 within which a displaceable piston 2! is slidably disposed.The oil body It extends through a passage it and through an annularchamber as into direct contact with the lower face of the piston 2i sothat any motion imparted to the plunger it will be transmitted to thepiston 2i and vice versa. The lower face of the piston 2i normallycoacts with an abutment or stop member 43 formed integral with thecylinder 20, and the upper face of the piston 2! is. exposed to acushion 22 of elastic fluid such as air under pressure. In order that itmay effectively separate the oil body,- I 8 from the I air in thecylinder 20, the piston 2: is provided with cup-shaped packings 48 tothe interiors of which pressure may be admitted through ports 45, asshown in Fig. 2.

A pipe 23 communicating with the annular conduit 44 beneath the piston2|, serves'to either admit oil to or to withdraw oil from the 011 body,l8. This pipe 23 may be interchangeably connected with an oil supplypump 24, or with the atmosphere through a drain cock 25, to either 1increase, or decrease the quantity or oil in the body l8. A pet-cock 21may also be provided for the purpose of removing air from the space.

within which the 011 body I8 is confined, this air release communicatingwith the highest por- 15 tion of the oil confining space. The uppersurface of the piston 2| may also be covered with a bathof oil in orderto prevent air from working past the piston packings.

Associated with the top'cover of the cylinder 2 20, is an air admissionand release pipe 26, this pipe being provided with a gage 33 in order topermit establishment of a predetermined pressure in the elasticfluidcushion 22. top cover is also provided with a bore within 25 whichan auxiliary piston 34 is slidably disposed; The piston 34 is normallyurged downwardly by means of a coil spring 35 having one end engagingthe piston 34 and having its opposite end reacting against an adjustableplug 38. The plug 3 36 carries a vertically adjustable central guide 39which may be raised or lowered with respect to the plug 36 and lockedinto adjusted position by means of a nut 40; Snugly fitting the bore ofthe guide 33 but vertically movable therein, is 35 a plunger 38 having amovable contact 4| associated with the upper extremity thereof. An airrelease valve 31 carried by the auxiliary piston 34 has a stemmovable'in alinement with the plunger 38. The movable contact 4| whichis 40 carried by the plunger 38 is adapted under certain conditionswhich will be hereinafter described, to engage a flxedcontact 42 carriedby the vertically adjustable guide 38. The contacts- 4|, 42 controlmechanism for stopping the motor 45 9 when these contacts come. intoengagement with each other.

.When the crusher is operating normally,- a predetermined pressure isestablished in, the air cushion 22, suflicient to hold the piston 2|against 50 the abutment 43 and to maintain the oil body 18 under suchpressure as will prevent the annu -lar plunger l6 from moving undernormal crushing conditions. The main shaft 5 is normally being,gyratedrat relatively high speed by the eccen-' 5 5 tric I which is.driven by the motor 9 through the drive shaft 3 and the connecting plate32, and material is being crushed in the chamber 6 by virtue of thisgyration of the shaft 5. Gyration of the shaft 5 is imparted to theinner member 3 co which imparts a'rapid succession of blows to thematerial advancing by gravity through the chamber 8, and the verticalcrushing reaction is taken by the thrust bearing located directlybeneath the head or inner member l.

05 If an abnormally hard piece of material such 1 as a piece of steel isadmittedto the crushing chamber 8 between the members ,3, 4, the pres-.sure upon the thrust bearing'becomes abnormal, thereby subjecting thefluid body I. to abnormal 70 pressure which is transmitted through thepassage l3 and conduit 44 to the lower face of the piston 2|. Iftheabnormal pressure becomes sufllcient to overcome the resistance setup by ,the elastic cushion 22, the piston-2| moves upwardly therebyincreasing the pressure in the The cylindercushion 22. If the abnormalcondition continues to prevail and to move the piston 2| upwardly, thepressure within the cushion 22 eventually increases to such an extentthat the auxiliary piston 34 is moved upwardly against the resistance 5offered by the spring 35, causing the stem of the valve 31 which is heldshut by the pressure prevailing in the cushion 22, to engage the plunger38 and to move the contact 4| into engagement with the contact 42. Thisengagement 'of the 1 contacts 4|, 42 causes the motor 3 to stop. If,however, the pressure within the chamber 22 continues to risesuiiiciently to cause the auxiliary piston 34 to travel upwardly beyonda position corresponding to closing of the contacts 4|, 42,- then thevalve 31 will be opened by the plunger 38 and the pressure within thecushion 22 will be relieved by virtue of air escaping past the openvalve 31 to theatmosphere. If the pressure within the cushion 22 is thusrelieved, this pressure must be re-established by admission of airthrough the connection 26 after the abnormal condition of operation hasbeen removed. The air connection 26 also serves to relieve the pressurein the cushion 22 whenever 25 desired, and the weight of the innermember 3, shaft 5 and movable thrust bearing elements is supported uponthe stop 28 when the air has been thus released from the cushion 22.

If it becomes desirable to change the spaced 30 relationship of thecooperating crushing members to vary the size of the discharge openingassociated with the crushing chamber 6, this may be readilyaccomplished. By opening the drain cock 25 and removing some of the oilfrom the body I8, the inner crushing member 3 may be lowered therebyincreasing the size of the discharge opening. If it is desired todecrease the size of this discharge opening, the pump 24 may be operatedto increase the quantity of oil in the body l8 thereby raising the innermember 3. An indicatorsuch as shown at the upper end of the crushershaft 5 may be provided in order to determine the degree of adjustmentof the thrust bearing. It is important to remove all 5 air from directcontact with the oil body I8, and such removal of air may be readilyefiected with the aid of the pet-cock 21.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the presentinvention in fact provides improved bearing structure comprising aconfined fluid body, which is capable of effectively resistingrelatively high and variable pressures. The size of the dischargeopening of the crushing chamber 5 may be readily varied in a relativelyshort period'of time, to suit any desired degree of reduction of thematerial demanded by the operator. The elastic cushion 22 providessimple and effective means for protecting the elements of the machineagainst damage due to abnormal 0 conditions of operation. If the pieceof abnormally hard material admitted to the crushing chamber 6 is ofsuch size that it is capable of passing through the discharge opening,then the operation of the machine will not be stopped, but 5 the cushion22 will function to automatically permit passage of the abnormally hardpiece without damaging the structure. If the abnormally hard piece ofmaterial is so large that it will not pass through the dischargeopening, then the 7 operation of the machine will be stopped, ashereinabove described, before damage of parts results.

While the improvement is especially applicable to machines such ascrushers of various types, it will be apparent that the novel featuresare more generally applicable to machines of any type whichare, liableto be subjected to similar abnormal conditions of operation, or whereinan adjustable thrust bearing structure is desired. 5 The invention hasproven to be highly successful in commercial in connection with gyratorycrushers, and the practicability of the principles involved has beenthoroughly demonstrated.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention tothe exact details of construction and to the precise mode ofmanipulating and of operating mechanisms built in M- cordance therewith,for various modificationswithin the scope of the claims may occur topersons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent: I

1. In combination, a pair of members cooperat ,ing to form a crushingchamber, means for causing relative movement of said members to crushmaterial, a liquid support for carrying one of said members, meansforming a chamber, a piston in said chamber having one face exposed tothe liquid constituting said support and having its opposite faceexposed to a source of elastic fluid under pressure and a stop for saidpiston disposed to limit its movement under the influence of saidelastic fluid.

2. In combination, inner and outer members cooperating to form acrushing chamber having a discharge opening, an eccentric for gyratingjsaid inner member relative to said outer member to crush material, afluid support for said inner member, and a fluid cushion cooperatingwith said support to permit movement of said inner member relative tosaid outer member to vary the size of said opening.

'3. In combination, inner and outer members cooperating to form acrushing chamber, an ec- 4O centric for gyrating said inner memberrelative to said outer member to crush material, a. fluid support forsaid inner member, and a fluid cushion cooperating with said support toestablish a predetermined normal supporting resistance at said support.

4. In combination, inner and outer members cooperating to form acrushing chamber, an cccentric for gyrating said inner member relativeto said outer member to crush material, a fluid support for said innermember, and a fluid cushion cooperating with said support to permitdis-'- placement thereof uponattainment of anabnormal condition in saidchamber.

5. In combination, inner and outer members cooperating" to form acrushing chamber having,

a. discharge opening, aneccentric for gyrating mid inner member relativeto said outer member to crush material, a fluid support for said innermember, a fluid cushion coacting with said sup- 0 port, and means forvarying the quantity of fluid in said support to efiect variation .ofthe size of said discharge opening. v r

6. In combination, inner and outer members cooperating to form acrushing chamber having a discharge opening, an eccentric for gyratingsaid inner member relative to said outer member to crush material, aliquid support for said inner member, means forming a chamber, and apiston in said chamber having one face exposed to. the

liquid constituting said support and having its opposite face exposed toa source of elastic fluid under pressure.

7. In combinatidn, innerand outer members cooperating to form a crushingchamber having a discharge opening, an eccentric for gyrating movingmeans.

said inner member relative to said outer member to crush material, aliquid support for said inner member, means forming a chambercommunicating with said support, a piston in said chamber.

having one face exposed to the liquid constitut- 5 ing said support andhaving its opposite face exposed to a source-oi elastic fluid underpressure. and-means for varying thequantity or liquid in said support toeffect variation of the size of said discharge opening.

8. In combination, a pair of members cooperating to form a crushingchamber, means for causing relative movement ofsaid members to crushmaterial, a liquid support for one of said members, means forming achamber communi- 15 eating with said support, a piston in said chamberhaving one face exposed ,to the liquid constituting said support andhaving its opposite face exposed to a source of elastic fluid underpressure, and means operable by movement of said 20 piston forstoppingthe movement of said member 9. In combinatiominner and outermembers cooperating to form a crushing chamber having a dischargeopening, an eccentric ior gyrating 26 said inner member relative to theouter member to crush material, a liquid support for said irmer member,meansforming a chamber communicating with said support, a piston in saidcham- I ber having one race exposed to the liquid conso stituting saidsupport and having its opposite face exposed-to a source oi'elasticfluid under pressure, and means operable by movement of said piston tostop the movement of said eccentric.

10. In combination, inner and outer members cooperating to form acrushing chamber, an eccentric for moving said inner memberrelative tosaid outer member to crush material, a thrust bearingfor said innermember comprising a body 4, of oil, and an air cushion cooperating withsaid oil to establish-a predetermined normal supporting resistance atsaid thrust bearing.

- 11. In combination, inner and outer members,

an eccentric for gyrating said inner member rel- 4,5

ative to said outer member, a fluid support for saidinner member, afluid cushion coacting with tity of fluid in said support to efiectvariation in 5a the relative position of said members.

12. In combination, inner and outermembers, an eccentric'for moving saidinner member relative to said outer member, a thrust bearingfor saidinner member comprisinga body of oil, and 55 anair cushion cooperatingwith said body of oil to establish a predetermined normal supportingresistance at said thrust bearing.

13. In combination, a, pair .of relatively movable crushing membersarranged in spaced relation so so as to form a crushing chamber having adischarge opening, a reaction support comprising a confined body ofliquid and a piston member, one of said crushing members floating onsaid support so as to normally maintain a prcdeterdo mined dischargeopening, elastic fluid cushionedmeans for normally opposing the pressurewithin the liquid of said support and operable in response to a reactionthrust in excess of a predetermined value for permitting said floatingcrush- '70 ing member to move and increase said discharge bpening, andmeans for varying the quantity of liquid in said reaction support toeiIect a variation in the size of said discharge opening.

14. In a crusher ving a pair or crushing l5 members arranged in spacedrelation so as to form a crushing chamber having a discharge opening,the combination of a liquid supported thrust bearing-for normallysupporting one of said members so as to maintain a predetermineddischarge opening, means for moving said one of saidcrushing membersrelative to the other to crush material, and means for relievingexcessive crushing reaction on said thrus'vbearing comprising a pistonmember having one face in contact with the liquid in said thrust bearingand another face in contact with a body of elastic fluid, and alsocomprisinga stop member against which said elastic fluid normally biasessaid piston member.

15. In a crusher having a pair of relatively movable crushing membersarranged in spaced relation so as to form a crushing chamber having adischarge opening, the combination of a liquid supported thrust bearingfor normally supporting one of said members so as to maintain apredetermined discharge opening, means for moving said crushing membersrelatively to crush material, and means operable upon occurrence of anexcessive crushing reaction on said thrust bearing to increase saiddischarge opening, said last mentioned means comprising a piston memherhaving one face in contact with the liquid in said thrust bearing andhaving another face in contact with a body of elastic fluid normallyunder greater pressure than said liquid, and also comprising a stopmember against which said body of fluid normally biases said pistonmember.

16. In combination, a pair of crushing members arranged to form acrushing chamber, means for causing one of said members to revolverelative to the other to crush material means for resisting the crushingthrust on said revolvable member, said last mentioned means comprising abody of liquid under pressure and'also comprising a piston having a facein contact with said body .of liquid and another face in contact with aconflned'body of elastic fluid under normally greater pressure than thepressure of said liquid whereby saidpiston is displaceable uponoccurrence of a crushing reaction on said thrust bearing in excess ofapredetermined value to permit a separation of said crushing members,

. stop means disposed to so limit movementof said piston that greaterpressure may be maintained in said elastic fluid than in said liquid,and means responsive to a pressure within said body of elastic fluid inexcess of a predetermined value for discharging a portion of said bodyof fluid tov atmosphere.

17. In a crusher the combination of a crushing member, a second crushingmember, means.-

arrangedto normally hold said second crushing member in spaced relationwith said flrst mentioned crushing member so as to form a dischargeopening therebetween, said holding means comprising. a reaction thrustsupport having a body of liquid normally under a predetermined pressure,means for causing said second crush-,-

' ing member to move relative to said first mensaid discharge openingupon occurrence of excessive crushing reactions.

18. In a crusher having a stationary crushing member and a movablecrushing member cooperating therewith to form a crushing chamber 5having a discharge'opening, the combination of an oil support arrangedto support said movable crushing member, means forming a chambercommunicating with said oil support, a piston slidable in said chamberand having one face thereof exposed to the oil of said support, an aircushion within said chamber in contact with the opposite face of saidpiston, and a stop member associated with said chamber, the pressure ofsaid air cushion normally being greater than the pressure of 15 said oilso that said piston is normally biased against said stop member. I 19.In combination, a movable member normally subject to thrusts varyingwithin permissible limits, a thrust bearing-device arranged to 20support said movable member and comprising a body of liquid normallyvarying in pressure within limits due to said varying thrusts, a chamberin communication with said body of liquid, 2.- piston within saidchamber having one face subject to the pressure of said body of liquid,a stop member associated with said chamber and a body of elastic fluidwithin said chamber arranged to 'exert a force on the opposite face ofsaid piston greater thanthe force exerted by said body of 30 liquid soas to normally bias said piston into engagement with said stop member,;the pressure of said body of elastic fluid being so predeter- .minedwith respect to the upper limit of said limits of liquid pressure thatsaid movablemem- 35 her is displaceable only upon occurrence of a thrustin excess of said permissible limits.

. 20. In combination, a pair of members, means for moving one of saidmembers relative to the other, a thrust support for resisting variable40 thrusts on said movable member, said thrust support comprising a bodyof liquid subject to variable pressures, a fluid cushion comprising abody of elastic fluid normally under greater pressure than the pressureof said body of liquid, a dis- 45 placeable element interposed betweensaid body of liquid and said body of fluid, said body of fluid normallybiasing said displaceable element to a limiting position, and means forvarying the normal pressure of said body of fluid so as to vary 50 themaximum thrust said thrust support is capable of resisting.

21. In combination, inner and outer members, means for imparting arotary motion to said inner member relative to said outer member, a 55thrust bearing device arranged to support said inner member, said devicecomprising a body of liquid under pressure, a displaceable piston havingone face subject to the pressure of said liquid,

means arranged to limit the displacement of said 60 .piston, andresilient cushioning means comprising a body of compressible fluidarranged to urge said piston against said limiting means in oppositionto the force on said piston caused by said liquid, whereby displacementof said inner member relative to said outer member ispermitted only whenthe thrust on said inner member ex- ,ceeds a predetermined amount;

22. A crusher comprising relatively movable crushing members, meansincluding'a confined body of liquid disposed to restrain saidcrushingmembers in cooperating crushing relationship, means including .aconfined body of elastic fluid disposed to exert pressure upon saidliquid to yieldingly urge said crushing members into 75 disposed toexert lationship,

, 2,021,805 crushing relationship in such manner as to permit relativedisplacement thereof under abnormal crushing conditions, meansseparating said elastic fluid from said liquid, and means actinguponsaid separating means to limit'the movement thereof under theinfluence said elastic fluid to normally relatively position saidcooperating crushing members in predetermined crushing relationship.

23. A crusher comprising relatively movable crushing members, meansincluding a confined body of liquid disposed to restrain said crushingmembers in cooperating crushing relationship, means including a confinedbody of elastic fluid disposed to exert pressure upon said liquid toyieldingly urge said crushing members into crushing relationship in suchmanner as to permit relative displacement thereof under abnormalcrushing conditions, means separating said elastic fluid from saidliquid, means acting upon said separating means to limit the movementthereof under the influence of said elastic fluid to normally relativelyposition said cooperating members in predetermined crushingrelationship, and means for varying the quantity of liquid in saidcrushing member supporting means to adjust the normal crushingrelationship of said crushing members. I

24. A crusher comp ing relatively movable crushing members, meansincluding a confined body of liquid disposed to restrain said crushingmembers in cooperating crushing relationship, means including a confinedbody of elastic fluid pressure upon said liquid to yieldingly urge said,crushing members into crushing relationship in such manner as to permitrelative displacement thereoi under abnormal crushing conditions, meansseparating said elastic fluid from said liquid, means acting upon saidseparating means to limit the movement thereof under the influence ofsaid elastic fluid to normally relatively position said cooperatingcrushing members in predetermined crushing reand means for changing thenormal crushing relationship or said crushing members including meansfor changing the relative position of said separating means and one ofsaid crushing members.

25. A crusher comprising relatively movable cooperating crushingmembers, means including a confined body of inelastic fluid disposed tomaintain said crushing members in normal crushing relationship, yieldingmeans including tionship.

. g s a confined body of elastic fluid disposed to exert pressure onsaid conflnedbody-oi' inelastic fluid I to tend to move said crushingmembers toward each other and adapted to yield to permit movement apartof said crushing members under abnormal crushing conditions,

means separating said elastic fluid irom said inelastic fluid, and meansacting on said fluid separating means for limiting the .movement of saidyielding means in moving said crushing members toward each other toposition said crushing members normally in predetermined spacedrelationship.

26. Apparatus comprising relatively movable cooperating members, meansincluding a confined body of inelastic fluid disposed to maintain saidmembers in normal cooperating relayielding means including a confinedbody of elastic fluid disposed to exert pressure upon said conflnedbodyof inelastic fluid to tend to-cause'relative movement of said members inone direction and adapted to yield to permit relative movement thereofin another direction under abnormal conditions, means separating saidelastic fluid from said inelastic fluid, and means acting on said fluidseparating means for limiting the movement of said yielding means underthe influence of said elastic fluid to thereby position said cooperatingmembers normally in predetermined spaced relationship.

27. Apparatus cooperating members, means including a .confined body ofinelastic fluid disposed to maintain said members in normal cooperatingrelationship, yielding means including a confined body of elastic fluiddisposed to exert pressure 35 upon said confined body of inelastic fluidto tend to cause relative movement of said members in one direction andadapted to yield to permit relative movement thereof in anotherdirection under abnormal conditions, means separating said elaso ticfluid from said inelastic fluid, means acting on said fluid separatingmeans for limiting the movement of said yielding means under theinfluence of said elastic fluid to thereby position said cooperatingmembers normally in predeterg5 mined spaced relationship, and means forchanging the normal spaced relationship of said cooperating membersincluding means to change the position of said fluid separating meansrelative to one 0! said cooperating members. so

RAY c. NnwHoUs'E. ROBERT E. STOLL.

comprising relatively movable

